The elder(ly) showing the youngin how to jump rope.
Floyd hadn't jump roped on his new hip yet. He proved he still has the technique down.

Secret training grounds. This is the first time for Sam in the garage.
I get a new training partner starting this week. Eben is coming back from Salt Lake to train at home for World's qualifier in October. Its good to train with better people.

The cycling blogs are slowing down that's for sure. I bike about twice a week now and not for long. My mind is occupied with other things anyways so I don't even think about it really which is good. Went fishing yesterday to try for some muskie but no dice. Lakes are 1.5-2 feet low this year. It must be effecting the fishing this year. Today I set up my cousins computer and went down to the minneapolis rowing club open house. Patti has been killing it in the boat. She won 2 races in the National Championship out in California a month or so ago and she won 3 more in Iowa last week. She showed me the proper rowing technique and showed us (Floyd, Sam, Janet, Laura, and me) around the boat houses. Floyd is an alumni from the rowing club back in the 60's. He likes that his team has such a variety of sports that everyone is involved in. He's a strong believer in cross training. If you over train in a sport you lose the excitement when it comes time to compete. If you don't feel like racing anymore its time to put it away for a while.

Break

I'm pulling the plug for this weekends race in St Cloud. I would like to support and be there but,
Reason 1: Multiple papers to write
Reason 2: I'm already locked in for my placement in the series standings.
Reason 3: I need a break to prepare for this...


Began inlining this week. Floyd says I'm looking superb for the first time ever on such contraptions. Cruising at 16-17mph. It's all coming back though.

Chequamisized

Another Chequamegon in the books. Every year this race kicks my butt. I can never go from sitting for 15 min in the start shoot to spinning out a 44x12 within a minute. Long story short I pushed myself until OO usually I would be feeling good at this point but no can do so I sat up on the dirt road before Martels Pothole and chatted to a guy who was feeling the same. Right before I went into the 4 wheeler trails A group with Hollywood,Jena Zander,Nicoli Anikin, and Jan Rybar, came up. I Jumped in and decided If my race was finished I might as well help Jena since she was chasing down Lea Davison. I pulled for her on the long dirt road section and kept her in contact with the group. She was strong out there for sure. I was ahead of her a bit at the top of Fire Tower but I think she caught back up on the last Birki section which is where I started to cramp on the climbs. After that we caught some more riders on the logging trail and last dirt road. She must have had a second wind because she went to the front and pulled into the Telemark trails. I went to the back of the line and talked to a fellow Hed employee Paul Ellis for a bit. I spun all the hills the best I could to ward off any cramping coming in with a personal best (didn't feel like it) time but a personal worst placement. Last year I had a time of 2:25 and was 32nd but this year my time was 2:22 and I was 59th. Go figure. I got double chicked too which hasn't happened for 4 years when Sue Haywood beat me on this course. Those are some strong ladies out there mixing it up with some excellent male riders. I found out latter that Sam helped out Lea, giving her his water bottle after she dropped hers at a feed (It was a fresh bottle he had in his jersey). Lea also managed to beat Sam too, and for her to beat the likes of Tim Mulrooney, and Eric Thompson on a course like this to me is amazing. Helmets off to her.
The last race for me is next week at St Cloud. Its a flat technically fun course, so if it doesn't rain and I don't have a lot of homework I'll be there. As far as training on the bike goes its over. I just ride when I feel like it or when I can ride to school. I'll go on a little break here and start the process over to skating.

Maplelag

Where am I going?



Regained contact.



Trust me on the last lap this one hurts.

Pictures from Skinnyski.com

Maplelag is always the climax of the year. Race-eat-relax, sums up the experience.
Its fun to just sit down and joke around with the spare time between events. The Swanson bros. are a riot to be around. Its always nice when they show up.

TT- not feeling fast at all. Drowsy and a little ill feeling really. It was an early start, a couple hrs after breakfast so the body isn't used to that. I ended up with a 10:20 time which was good enough for 7th, Sam was 5th.

STXC- I stayed off my feet after the tt and even layed down for a bit. I wasn't all too pumped up for the race but once it started I began to open up. A few laps in I was on the inside and someone came in on my front wheel. Which is what happened in the picture. I almost took out Jake. I recovered and chased back on quickly. Doug,Brendan, and TJ got a break. Sam decided to come to the front and chase it down. He was chasing for at least 5 min. When he began to fade, we were close so I came around and finished it off right at the start line. I was wondering why Brendan was cornering so slow and then would pin it out of the corners. Find out he burped his tire. I should have made an earlier effort to get around him. Came in on the sprint in 5th and Sam 7th. After the race I was feeling lots better and was all revved up.

XC- It was downright hot out. The first half lap was too fast for the conditions. I was riding behind Brendan most of the lap and we were both riding like small children. I liked when I came out on Suicide Hill, I was at the bottom and Sam and Doug were drag racing halfway up. TJ had dropped his chain in the lakeside drops so he went back around at the top of suicide as well. Brendan and I passed Doug 3/4 lap in on the ski trails. Brendan took off from me after the start finish area and never saw him again. Doug caught me exiting the final single track. I had to stop and get two bottles out of my stand because I was hurting bad and I don't think I could have made it without. I eventually caught him back maybe with a 1/4 lap to go on the ski trails. When I looked back shortly after he was gone. I tried to put as much time in as I could without cramping but to no avail. In the end Doug got the last box. I was pleased with 4th on the day and 5th overall in the omnium. Sam finished 2nd, 15 seconds behind TJ and 3rd overall in the omnium. Thanks to the Richards family for all their hard work on putting on such a quality race and accommodation's.
Full results
Sam Brendan and I are pretty much locked in on our final results for the series in 1,2,3 respectively. I don't know whats going to happen the next race. After Chequamegon its all over really. Its been a fun and successful season. I can look forward to ice and snow now.

Double Header

Photos courtesy of skinnyski.com

Boy am I spent. Sam and I did the double header last weekend heading up to Seeley for the Pre-Fat MTb race. It was very cool out. I had to warm up in a vest and base layer. Not used to that yet. Off the start I ended up taking the lead out which I told myself I wasn't going to do because I felt horrible during the warm up. It was a reasonable pace though and I waited until after the first sharp pavement corner before sitting up waiting for someone else to come around which nobody seemed obliged. Finally, before the roller coaster hills someone took off and TJ Woodruff put in an excel on the steepest pavement climb before we hit the dirt. My legs were not cooperating and I was in the middle of the worst start I have felt for a long time. I was getting frustrated with myself riding like a small child and watching as the riders went by me. I have no idea what was wrong with me those first few miles. I struggled and thought it was going to be a long day. Eventually a group formed at the top of a long gradual climb on which I caught up to Todd Mcfadden. I don't remember saying it but he liked my quote when I came up to him, "I shouldn't be feeling this bad". I think that climb kind of cleaned out the carbs and my legs started to come around. I pulled a long time before looking back and seeing about 4 guys on my 6. Todd Mcfadden and Adam Swank were 2 of them. I pretty much pulled all the ski trail, Mcfadden I think came around for a little bit but I was wondering when the single track was going to start. About the time I decided to sit in for a bit and sit 3rd wheel, we hit the single track. This is where Garrot Kuzzy dropped from the front group to us. I just sat in and had a good rest the first single track section as we weren't going too terribly fast. When we got out on another ski trial I was still 3rd wheel and the guy up front(I think Swank) had pulled a great deal and was starting to fade. The person in front of me said he couldn't pull so I made my move and attacked with around 12 or 13 miles to go. My mind was focused and the legs were taking the punishment well. I never looked back and soloed the last half of the race in no mans land. Sam ended up in 3rd and I took 5th. We drove home that afternoon and were back by 6:00pm.
The next day we headed over to the MNSCS vs WORS border battle in River Falls WI. Nice temps and really dusty conditions awaited us. MN won the coin toss (thanks Brendan) so they called up the top 5 from MN first. It was a stacked field for sure with Wisco sporting most of their big guns including single speed phenom Jesse Lelonde, along with Brian Matter ,and Mike Phillips. At the top of the sorting hill I was sitting around 10th or so sucking in all the dust created by the rest of the guys in front of me. I look across the field and see Jesse pulling away from everyone. We were cruising pretty good through the woods but couldn't go ballistic with a big group snaking through the woods. On the second lap Matter and Chris Peariso go flying by. I kept on the gas and went through a couple highs and lows. The hills were more of an effort with the day previous still in them. It felt like there was still some power available but I couldn't really get it out. Odd feeling really, but my single track skills were honed sharp. I eventually caught back up to Chris on the 3rd lap and we switched around a little bit all the way through the final lap when he blew his fork. He let me by but stuck close to my wheel. I tried shaking him in the last single track and to my surprise I caught Jesrin on a tight switchback climb. He saw me coming and turned on the heat through the lower portion of the course before the finish. Jesrin made it around a lapped rider right before a close tree but I had to quick hit the brakes to get around and by that time he had 30 feet on me. We both were running on adrenaline at this point and for the 2nd time he held me off at the line. Sam and I were the first MN finishers. Sam in 5th and me in 7th less than a min behind. It was a great venue. Thanks to all the Wors volunteers for putting it on, and to Tom Gaier and all the lions club volunteers up in Seeley for putting on an exciting race. Next weekend is the epic Laddies Loppet stage race up at Jays place. Should be some good Mtber community mingling. Always a good time.

New Ride

She wasn't happy but I had to let her go. Last tuesday during the ride and glide group ride, she threw me on the ground for the first time since we met about 5 years ago. She did this when when she heard that I was going to be replacing her. Of course I got all the damage (some road rash on the leg, thigh, and arm). We have a lot of memories together; traveling out west and bombing the descents together, and who could forget about our time in France with all those epic kilometers of pain, climbing the Tour stages and the thrill of railing switchbacks. She is getting old and it is time we part ways. Goodbyes are alway hard but we have to say it sooner or latter and this is the time. Goodbye Giant TCR. I'll miss your shinny nude carbon frame that still looks like the day I picked you up (That diamond shield clear coat is amazing stuff. They use it on BMW cars). Hello Cervelo carbon Soloist. Your streamline body, massive bottom bracket and racy red paint is a perfect rocket for both the TT's and every day riding and racing. I'm looking forward to create some new exciting memories together



Well my first ride on it was the Withrow TT yesterday (I was making all the adjustments during my warm up so it was my first time on it) and I put up a personal best of 31:58. Wait until I get it dialed in and have a good day on the bike and I think I can get a sub 31.
Sam and I are planning on doing the double header this weekend. Pre-Fat on sat and River Falls on Sunday. Hopefully it won't be too wet on sat.
School on Monday. Back to the books and it should be a good tapper to Cheq after Laddies next weekend. Then its all about speed skating after a little break.

I just noticed this on cycling news tech report on the Ardeenes
Everyone says the same thing. As far as the neutral support situation I just set my brakes with the lever for spreading the brake arms open and if I need to put the skinnier rim in I just flip the lever down to bring the arms closer.

Buck Hill

Dusty conditions means burning lungs.

Lightweight

Heavyweight
Photos courtesy of Skinnyski.com

Dry and dusty was the name of the game. The trail was either a sand pit (but nothing compared to the sand boxes of the Ore-to-Shore) or hard packed underneath with dust and loose debris on top to make things feel slippery in the corners. It was a typical start with the lead out riders fading on the first sign of a hill and the selection begins. The first switchback section got everyone breathing hard. Then a big surge up the pavement climb to get that all important spot in the single track. Brendan went first with Jeff "sasquatch legs" Hall on his wheel. I stayed behind Jay Richards because I knew he would be a good wheel to follow through the single track. Sam flew by at the last second to get third spot in the woods. At this point my lungs were burning from the dust and I could start tasting the blood plasma in my throat from breathing hard. At this point I can't remember what happened each lap, everything is pretty much a blur so I will just tell the major events. Sam was feeling ish so he dropped back to me and Jay. All of us pretty much took a pull at some point to see where the weaknesses were. I knew Jay was a Paul Hanson type who can pull off big out of the saddle surges. I'm more of a steady grinder so I just kept calm and collected and I had enough power to stay with him when he did surge or catch back up after the surge was over with. On the 4th or 5th lap Sam was leading in the single track followed by Jay then me. There was a sharp 120 degree downhill corner with a stump right in the path of the perfect line. Jay hit it and put up a yard sale in front of me. He was spry to his feet and I yelled if he was all right. I saw him chasing hard through the single track about 10 seconds behind and Sam was gapping me. Lap traffic was getting bad and I think that was more a factor of the time gaps. I caught Sam in the traverse section and we rode together from then on for the last lap and rolled in 3rd and 4th. Thats twice this year that I let him place in front of me. I was feeling pretty fresh for a sprint too. Next time he might not get so lucky ;) I enjoyed the race and felt pretty good. I can tell it wasn't such a long race just by how I felt afterwards. Recovery time is faster when the race is that short, which is good because tomorrow is the ride and glide ride and the last time we go down into Afton.